Containerlike monolithic assembly of sets of framework structure components for large-scale industrial facility construction

ABSTRACT

A set of post-and-beam support framework structures is provided for eventual assembly to form a civil engineering scale facility for large-scale industrial equipment and associated features, the set of framework structures sized and with fittings and fasteners to function when assembled for shipment as a standardized multi-modal shipping container, with corner castings to permit the module to be treated during transport and inventory as a standard shipping container.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention is aimed at enhancing manufacturing and fabrication of componentry for industrial or processing facilities (for example) by tailoring prefabrication of modules suitable for both: a) shipment and logistics advantages enjoyed by container transport and transshipment systems; and b) convenient and safe, efficient assembly to working end-state on-site.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A. Prefabricated Construction—Industrial or Processing Facilities

It is known in the construction industry, in both residential and commercial or industrial segments, to pre-fabricate either sub-components or whole buildings in factory settings for delivery and assembly at a building site.

In the residential setting, prefabricated housing might include things like “double-wide” trailerable buildings (Mobile Homes), which are manufactured and populated with furnishings and fixtures in a factory setting, packaged for delivery, for example on trailers, and delivered over conventional roadways to a building site, which has been prepared by installation of utilities and foundation works, to which the building can be fixed and attached. (see Champion Homes http://www.championhomes.com/)

In industrial settings, major industrialized plants such as heavy oil upgraders and SAGD plants in prefabricated components have been provided in modularized form. An example of SAGD components can be seen as those built and delivered by Oak Point Energy Ltd., Alberta, Canada (see www.oakpointenergy.ca/technology/1nsite-sagd), which provides modules of equipment such as steam generation plant(s) to be assembled and connected to associated water, gas, steam, control and electrical conduits, insulation, and connectors, and which are sized for road transport. The modules are constructed in lower cost labour centers away from their eventual operational field site, and can theoretically be moved and reconfigured if it is decided to move them again from the initial site to another site (for instance, as the wells at the first site decline in production and the equipment is then more economically used at a second site).

The major constraints on both residential and industrial large-scale prefabricated construction technologies has been the maximum roadway width, trailer height and length (regulatory regimes, bridge and overhead clearances), and roadbed weight-bearing capacity on the route proposed between the manufacturing site and the construction site. Typically sea side operating sites may have modules ranging from 100 tonnes to 5000 tonnes. However, in North America non-coastal regions modules must be much smaller and lighter, being limited by transportation means used, being roadways.

Of course, there is also another type of prefabrication practice which is exemplified by log buildings, which are designed to be cut and assembled on a site near to the source of timber, then labeled and disassembled for shipment to an eventual building site to be re-assembled. This type of partial prefabrication is also limited by the capacity of the shipping means between the originating site and the eventual building site, and the prefabrication cannot be as complete (for instance, this method can't usually configure wiring, plumbing, fixtures and appliances in the “factory”) since the degree of disassembly for shipping is too extensive. This “log building” method is most like the current stage of development of modularized industrial facilities construction, where piping spools and structural steel components are fabricated in a lower cost labour center and transported by road to the operating site for installation of pre-assemblies, and then wired, plumbed, and populated with larger equipment.

Equipment such as doghouses built to house and protect production or collection subsystems (well-heads, valves, pumps, etc.) in the oil industry, which are typically small, metal clad insulated structures where sensing or control equipment required for field operations is installed for protection, are also known. These are smaller buildings, typically prefabricated in a shop and delivered, most typically by truck over roadways, to the desired site location for attachment for operation and are typically referred to as “skids” as they are single story structures designed to be lifted and placed from the bottom, resting on a skid or rail on their bottom side, and have limited upper structures. These have little relevance to the subject-matter of this invention.

Containerization and Shipping Logistics

There exists a global logistics and transportation system based upon standardized shipping containers, commonly called “Seacans”, or “intermodal containers”. An example of a supplier of this type of container is Sea-Can Containers Ltd. of Edmonton, Alberta. The majority of Seacans are currently manufactured in Asia by such companies as Big Steel Box and Shanghai Metal Corporation.

Seacan containers are, in their most usual and essential configuration, closed steel containers of standard height, length, and width with a closable door at one end, most typically being sufficiently load-bearing to be capable of being stacked, and also including fittings (called corner castings) of standardized configuration and placement (typically at each corner) so that a number of Seacans can be fastened to one another at load- and attachment-points, or single Seacans can be fastened to transport vehicles such as wheeled dolleys or trailers, and can be fastened to overhead lift equipment (cranes, trolleys) for transshipment and loading/unloading from various modes of transportation (ships, trains, truck-tractors, etc.).

Seacans are standardized for international inter-modal shipment and for the transshipment from mode-to-mode at specialized ports using highly automated equipment and logistics management systems. Seacans will themselves most typically be loaded by being filled at an end-point (the beginning of its trip) and the door closed and sealed and then not unloaded until the other end-point of its trip (its destination) where it will be unloaded and its contents further distributed, with an unchanged cargo manifest through the life of the Seacan's journey.

The advantages of this system are very high speed and very low cost shipment of materials or goods over long distances using whatever mode of transport is most efficiently available for each segment of the Seacan's journey—enabled by automated logistics management systems (load-tracking, route management, import-export permitting, delivery-receipt tracking, etcetera) and automated handling of standardized packages (containers) which themselves form part of the physical transport mechanisms (e.g. containers may be stacked on each other and secured, without necessity of racks or individual mounting points on a container ship, for instance), and are of a standard size for which shipping mode transport equipment can also be standardized in design (dolley or trailer mounts, crane and hoist spreader and automated attachment/detachment mechanisms, railcar size with mount point locations, container ship hold and deck design for mounting points, load-bearing structures, etc.).

The increased velocity of transported goods which containerized systems enables (that is, the time in transport has been dramatically reduced, along with other costs such as handling, demurrage, etcetera), has had the effect of pushing inventory out of commerce in many realms, by permitting “just-in-time” manufacturing and delivery of component parts within a supply chain. This has led to globalization of the supply chain, where manufacturing of components within the supply chain for an end-product can be done at any location in the world, in turn enabling arbitrage for lowest cost materials, labor, overhead and design, as well as for capacity if time from order to shipment is a constraint.

The standardized size and mount/load points in Seacan transport systems has accommodated many designs, including things like refrigerated containers with the refrigeration equipment mounted inside the standard dimensional envelope for Seacans, with external ports or connectors for power, etc. In addition, enclosing the cargo in a Seacan for transport provides security against environment (water, rust, contamination), theft or interference/vandalism, exposure (trade secrets), and other threats.

Although the history of standard dimensions began differently in North American and Europe, a modern standard Seacan will have the following sorts of characteristics: width, length and height within an envelope of dimensions so that the “box” of the Seacan is capable of being transported on standard container ship, highway and railway using relatively conventional (although now more purpose-built) trailers, trollies or railcars, and Seacans may be stacked and should be relatively automatically aligned and attached to the vehicle (and each other); loading and unloading capabilities (at least one sealable or lockable door with hinges recessed within the rear corner posts rather than protruding from the exterior side, interior dimensions amenable to carriage of goods and loading/unloading of the Seacan itself; load-bearing and containment capabilities (that is, stackable/jackable, lift-able from predesigned lift points)). These requirements are met with modern Seacan characteristics: for example, common lengths are 20, 40 and 53 feet. Also, the container will have a heavy steel post at each corner to support the weight of more containers stacked on top of it, as well as to provide structural support for lifting and manipulation forces. At the top and bottom of each steel (corner) post is a mating forged handling lug or fitting which permits alignment and interlocking/connection of a container to an adjacent container (above or below) for stacking and attachment—these fittings are also suitable to attach the container to a vehicle (trailer, railcar, dolly) or a lifting or manipulation device (cable-spreader-crane) at a transshipment facility.

One problem with containerized transport systems is a buildup of inventory of Seacans. Sufficient containers need to be in existence to accommodate the bulk traffic, as well as in any back-haul trade. In operation, over time, periodic surpluses of Seacans have come into existence, and surplus or used Seacans (for example, containers which are past their useful life in transport business) are seen being repurposed as construction components, storage units, or sculpture (or waste).

B. Oilfield Industrial Construction

In modern industrial-scale facilities being constructed at oilfield locations, for instance SAGD plants at or near multiple well-heads for both production and injection of steam and recovery of bitumen, a relatively large-scale facility is required. Process equipment for the production of heavy oil using SAGD (which is used here as a meaningful example of the state of the art and later, of an embodiment of the invention of this application), can include water gathering and holding systems, water treatment systems, electrical distribution systems, steam generation systems, steam injection and handling systems, production systems with heaters and pumps, chemical and solvent receiving and recycling, processing, and management systems, production holding, treatment and heating systems, and heavy oil or dil-bit transport systems whether to truck, railcar or pipeline.

Each of these systems is interconnected, by virtue of being itself part of the system of injection of heat energy via steam/solvent or a combination of both into a well array to heat in situ heavy oil to the point where the oil can be flowed in production back to surface typically via a second complementary well array (forming SAGD well-pairs, for example) and then conditioned for transport and transported to market.

Each system has a number of inputs, whether fresh or recycled water, energy such as electrical or gas-power for steam generation or power for pumping or other operations, hydrocarbon from production or diluent from external suppliers or from local recycle systems. Each has a number of outputs, such as water, steam, produced hydrocarbon, power, effluent, or dil-bit. Each input and output must be managed and controlled, delivered or received, and these activities involve the use of many pipes, manifolds, valves, conduits, communications channels, power transmission lines, switches and controllers, sensors and meters and the like, each of which must be routed, installed and supported (physically) in the facility's structural environment.

The various functions in a SAGD facility (by way of example) are also interconnected and co-ordinated, as are most modern industrial facilities.

As may be appreciated, this type of exemplary industrial facility, in this example in an oilfield application, may be required to be constructed in a remote area, far away from industrial-scale or even controlled-environment fabrication and assembly facilities. We refer here to this type of facility as facilities for large-scale industrial equipment and associated features (such as conduit, passageways, manways, pipelines, cable-ways, etc), sometimes qualified as “civil engineering scale”, to point out to the reader that they are more akin to bridges and infrastructure than they are to habitable environments.

Parts must be shipped to the facility's site, some partially assembled, and then racking and support structures built, and pipe, conduit, and wiring must be run to larger pieces of equipment, which are typically delivered on baseframes or skids which can be mounted to foundations, and connected; control systems installed and tested; and finally, the plant may be commissioned after testing.

This is a complex process, piping and electrical cable may be delivered in bulk and cut and assembled (or may be pre-cut to designed length). Many on-site personnel are required, of various trade skills, working at heights above grade, and the use of lifting equipment, temporary scaffolding, and related safety and assembly risk is ever-present.

In addition, on-site conditions for fabrication and final assembly are less ideal than in a controlled, factory-like setting with climate-control, good lighting, permanent heavy-duty lifting and welding, test and other support equipment on hand. Safety and quality may also be degraded in an on-site fabrication/assembly setting.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A set of post-and-beam support framework structures is provided in one embodiment of the invention for eventual assembly to form a (civil engineering scale) facility for large-scale industrial equipment and associated features, the features comprising at least one of: conduits, pipe-ways and cable-trays, catwalks and man-ways; the set of framework structures sized and with fittings and fasteners to be fitted and fastened together to form a (monolithic) module for shipment as a standardized multi-modal shipping container, with corner castings to permit the module to be treated during transport and inventory as a standard shipping container.

In another embodiment, a module is comprised of a set of post-and-beam support framework structures fitted and fastened together as a standardized multi-modal shipping container with corner castings, to permit the module to be assembled from the set of framework structures at (or near) the place of manufacture of the set of framework structures, and to permit the module to be treated during shipment to an eventual destination as a standardized multi-modal shipping container. In this embodiment, the module is, at the eventual destination, to be taken apart and be reassembled (the set of framework structures, that is) to form larger components of a (civil-engineering scale) facility for large-scale industrial equipment and associated features, the features comprising at least one of: conduits, pipe-ways, cable-trays, catwalks and man-ways.

In other embodiments, some of the post-and-beam support framework structures (at least one) are capable of bearing a 10 metric ton load on each post.

In other embodiments, the assembly is of at least two of the support framework structures attached to each other by a beam or beams, which beam or beams can also have been fitted and fastened to form the standardized module, each beam spanning up to about 7 meters, and each beam capable of carrying a load of up to about 20 metric tons.

In yet another embodiment, the facility for large-scale industrial equipment and associated features of which the support framework structures are constructed is one of: a crude oil transshipment railyard, a SAGD steam generation and production facility, a heavy oil upgrader, a refinery, a chemical processing or food processing plant, a petro-chemical facility, a mining or mineral processing facility or some similar facility.

In an embodiment, the invention includes a system where the framework structures are assembled at the eventual destination to facilitate a: gas compressor, steam generator, pumps, air compressors, separation or process vessels, heat exchanger, absorption towers, dessicant beds, controlled chemical reactors, water treatment equipment and associated features.

An embodiment involves a method of shipping a set of post-and-beam support framework structures from at or near their place of manufacture to an eventual destination as a module which may be treated as a standardized multi-modal shipping container by:

-   -   a. Designing the framework structures to be manufactured and         then fitted and fastened together into a module within the         boundaries of the spatial envelope, and with strength,         load-bearing points and connector corner castings, to permit the         module to be treated for shipping purposes as a type of         standardized multi-modal shipping container;     -   b. Fitting and fastening the structures together, optionally         with other structural subcomponents or materials in a module         which conforms to the characteristics of a standardized         multi-modal shipping container, including:         -   i. Corner castings at each of at least 4 of the module's             corners acceptable for multi-modal transport means;         -   ii. Outside dimensions to match those permissible for             multi-modal transport;     -   c. Shipping the module as a multi-modal shipping container to         the eventual destination; and     -   d. Disassembling the module into the set of post-and-beam         support structures for use in construction of a civil         engineering scale facility for large-scale industrial equipment         and associated features.

In another embodiment of the method of this invention, there is an intermediate assembly location at which the module is disassembled into the set of post-and-beam support structures and assembled to form a larger component of the eventual facility and associated features, which larger component is subsequently shipped to the eventual destination where the facility with associated features is constructed using the larger component and other parts and components.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective drawing (not to scale) of a monolithic assembly Module comprised of Support Framework Structures (corner castings not shown).

FIG. 2 is a perspective drawing (not to scale) of a Support Framework Structure.

FIG. 3 is perspective drawing of another embodiment of an assembly of 4 sub-assemblies of Support Framework Structures.

FIG. 4 is a perspective drawing (not to scale) of a specific embodiment railcar loading/unloading sub-assembly comprised of Support Framework Structures and other parts.

FIG. 5 is a perspective drawing (not to scale) of a generic embodiment of sub-assembly comprised of Support Framework Structures and other parts with industrial equipment and associated features (equipment, piping, conduits, cable-trays), equipment and piping).

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The effective quality of the large-scale facility for industrial equipment as an end-product of the disclosed system of design, manufacture, and modularization of structural framework components as a container, and then shipment and transshipment as a container, can provide higher predictability of delivered componentry, better overall safety and lower cost of sub-component manufacture, fabrication and assembly labor and materials, with accurate logistics for just-in-time delivery to the eventual facility site, and higher quality of the larger assembly of the structural framework components into the constructed facility can result from the ability to design and manufacture exact or close-tolerance structural framework subcomponents which are then capable of more exact assembled large subassemblies, which in turn enables a user to achieve higher safety for all involved in the construction and commissioning of the eventual facility, and better ease of assembly of large subassemblies at remote sites (whether intermediate subassemblies or the facility itself as an assembly of subcomponents and subassemblies).

By designing large module subassemblies (these are designed to be built off-site but within container-transportable range, and are fabricated as, for example, 36 mλ7.3 mλ7.5 m subcomponent or intermediate sub-assemblies or sub-structures, which are then shipped to a remote construction site on specialized transporters) of industrial facilities for assembly on a remote construction site, with the intermediate modules or sub-structures designed to be built at one or more purpose-built manufacturing/fabrication/assembly facilities in controlled circumstances, from sets of structural framework subassemblies which are built to be fitted and fixed together, with other components, to meet Seacan specifications in terms of spatial envelope (for example 20′ or 40′ long×8′-0″ wide×8′-6″ high), a series of large intermediate subassemblies can be built and pre-populated with pipe, conduit, electrical, sensing, metering and signal wiring and apparatus, referred to elsewhere here as features associated with the eventual facility, in a module assembly yard and which large subassemblies can be finally assembled in construction of industrial facilities at remote sites.

Additionally, the framework structural subassemblies of which the facility's intermediate structural larger module or intermediate subassemblies are comprised, may be disassembled from the facility on decommissioning or alteration of the facility, inventoried, and may be moved from one site to another as components, sets of subassemblies, made into a multi-modal container configuration again for shipping and handling, or moved as complete larger subassemblies, to accommodate facility movement, recycling and recovery. This can take advantage of the positive features of prefabricated construction, Seacan logistics and material-management, and may reduce complexity, hazard, error rates, and increase portability and re-use potential compared with state-of-the-art oilfield facilities construction modularization and techniques/processes (for example, more of the on-site work can be accomplished without scaffolding, at grade)

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Module walls from framework structural support elements are designed to be assembled together, possibly with other construction components or other elements (such as external sheeting, door and frame, corner posts and castings) and provided with standard seacan lugs to be bolted together into an assembly which forms a shipping structure which matches seacan dimensional requirements, for transport, and can thereby be built anywhere in the world and sent to anywhere in the world, taking advantage of the logistics and existing facilities surrounding containerized shipping. Secondary and tertiary structural members can be secured to the fastened or bolted together framework structural element assembly, which then acts as their transport mechanism thereby eliminating the need for an actual seacan and avoiding the requirement to recycle empty seacans back to the point of origin since most or all of the assembly will be used in the end facility.

Although typical Seacans are skinned so that their contents are sealed from view, access, and from the environment, the module of the present invention is not necessarily skinned or sealed, but its assembled components may be in the open, or may be painted, coated, or otherwise protected. Alternatively (or in addition), the module of this invention may be skinned or sealed by installation of exterior wall panels to the set of structural frame members comprising the module.

The members of the structural framework set are standardized as well as the configuration of the assembly, and any included other construction elements. Under this design a welded structural framework element with all joints being moment connections is manufactured with typical support spacing.

Some individual components may be over designed for their actual load but uniformity of size (depth and kg/m) keeps the cost per tonne lower. All structural framework components can be made pre-drilled with uniformly dimensioned splice plates so that the components can be rotated, mirrored or inverted as the requirement may be. This allows for the interchange of components in an intermediate assembly yard as required to meet overall facility construction schedules. The structural framework elements' design is based upon a stackable configuration to allow installation of all components (see sample listing below) by personnel within 1.5 m of grade; most fitting and welding locations to interconnect pipes, equipment and conduit, gang-way, cable tray or other features may be carried out within 1.1 m of grade. This is provided by:

-   -   1. Erection of both side unit structural framework subcomponents         at an appropriate distance apart for the transverse or beam         members;     -   2. Installation of the transverse members to appropriate         pre-drilled locations on the structural framework subcomponents         by workers standing at grade;     -   3. Installation of any grating required for higher assembly by         workers while standing at grade;     -   4. Installation of any cantilever beams by workers while         standing at grade;     -   5. Installation of equipment while standing at grade (or on         grating or checkerplate, as required);     -   6. Installation of piping, controls and electrical components         and other associate features while standing at grade (or on         grating or checkerplate, as required);     -   7. Fastening all components together while standing at grade or         on grating or checkerplate;     -   8. Repeating for assemblies above or below this assembly, while         they are at grade or on grating or checkerplate, (and not         assembled vertically together, yet);     -   9. Lifting a second assembly onto a first assembly with a         minimally sized crane and bolting together assemblies from         external scissor lifts or JLG type worker lifts;     -   10. Repeat as necessary to achieve final intermediate         subassembly, or if no intermediate, then the final facility;     -   11. Once delivered to eventual facility construction site the         cantilever beam assembly not only supports components but also         supports planking for access for welding, bolting or other means         of fastening (virtually no scaffold frames required). There         should be no requirement for unsupported components, nor for         extrinsic bracing during shipping nor to be added or removed at         the facility site.

Listing of possible components in assembly:

-   -   Side frame structural framework elements consisting of 2 beams         and 3 columns welded together;     -   Standardized transverse beams for assembly to the above         framework elements, being of a uniform length as required for         the project;     -   Interconnecting beams to join 2 of the above-formed         subassemblies together, the subassemblies typically being about         40′ from end to end;     -   Cantilever beams to be assembled at ends of the subassemblies to         support components;     -   Grating (or checkerplate) where equipment is installed to         provide longer-term manways to remove the need for scaffolding;     -   Installation of multiple lengths of up to 120 feet of piping,         components and secondary cable trays to portions of an         intermediate assembly of several subassemblies;     -   Inline and structure mounted instrumentation;     -   Electrical and instrumentation junction boxes and wiring;     -   Supports for wall and roof panels if required.

The structural frame (FIG. 2) is designed with a either no bracing or a single braced bay per final assembly to allow standardized anchor point(s) for piping and equipment.

Moment connections 19 are provided for structural joints in the module to reduce site labor (traditionally structural engineers will rely upon bracing to reduce the sectional framework dimensions and weight of structural members. Bracing typically is required from grade to the high point of the structure in all 3 dimensions and typically requires substantial amounts of labour to install both in the module yard and at the final site. A slight premium paid for the cost of over-building or over-spec'ing framework load capacity in sections of the primary structure is generally at least offset by the savings on labour. This can also improve safety by eliminating the requirement to manually handle the bracing gussets and structural members. By eliminating the need for supply and handling of extra steel members at the substantially higher rate of site labour in the field, costs of over-spec'd framework elements are off-set.

Bracing on site typically must be slung manually off of the in-place subassembly or intermediate sub-assembly with hoists and chain falls, and then aligned and bolted. Often site bracing is difficult to align as lack of structural anti-torsional strength and overall rigidity means that movements during transportation frequently distort the subassembly due to axial and lateral acceleration/deceleration. The use of designed-in moment connections 19 and over-spec'd framework elements 10 substantially reduces or eliminates transport distortion and problems associated with misalignment or transport damage.

Structural framework side parts are interchangeable between modules, as they are of a standardized design, so that they may be substituted and used in case of critical need such as when a specific module is urgently required at site but not all of the structural components for that module have arrived. The ability to pull a stock component from storage or inventory at an intermediate assembly yard or even on-site at the eventual facility, in order to address an immediate need with no additional engineering allows a game-changing enhancement to constructing urgently required assemblies.

Once a structural frame is assembled from the set of structural framework elements, it forms its own structure or can be joined longitudinally or vertically to additional structure(s) and other components can be readily installed, and once the other components are installed, the frames are stackable to a maximum shipping height (and length) (typically 36 m×7.3 m×7.5 m in Alberta and 18 m×6 m×5.4 m in British Columbia). No scaffolding is required until the individual module assemblies are stacked together. At that point vertical members are bolted to the cantilevered beams and a horizontal beam is installed on each of the adjoining modules, between them. These 2 horizontal beams form a structure for scaffold planks to be slid into to form a work platform required to join pipes, and fittings when those are populated on the subassembly or assembled facility. Normally a 60 or 80 ton crane would be used to stack these individual module assemblies into the maximum shippable module.

A typical “parts list” for the structure of a set of individual structural framework components to a container-equivalent shipping module includes:

-   -   2 (longitudinal) side support framework structures     -   3 transverse beams     -   Secondary beams (if required)     -   2 or 4 Cantilever beams     -   Grating (if required)

A typical assembly procedure at a remote site includes:

-   -   Directly place the module on the piles (if it is the lowest         equipment module);     -   If the module is elevated, Install steel legs on piling         (typically pipe rack modules)     -   Lift the elevated module onto the legs mentioned in the previous         step and secure;     -   Place the adjoining module or upper module;     -   Equipment modules are designed to allow virtually 100% of         connections to be done from the grating or from a small movable         platform set on the grating;     -   If the modules are piperack modules (elevated) the bottom deck         of the module is designed to allow for the use of a scissor lift         with sufficient spacing and reach considerations for the skilled         labour to stand and reach up to 600 mm from the face of the pipe         and employ semi-automatic orbital welding to join the pipe         (bolted flanges may be used but are less efficient).     -   Prior to leaving an intermediate assembly or module yard,         vertical structural members may have been installed with a         horizontal beam located to slide scaffold planks into. Once the         scaffold planks are positioned the beam acts as a toe plate and         a simple angle iron frame acts as a handrail. The skilled labour         then uses this platform to join the pipe or other features,         virtually eliminating the need for scaffolding structures which         significantly enhances the safety of the work, providing access         to make the piping joints without lying down also significantly         enhances the safety of the work and both effects combined         reduces the down time of the skilled labour while attempting to         perform their work.

A number of Support Framework Structures 10 forms a set of Support Framework Structures 70 which is assembled at or near their point of manufacture into a module 70 configured to function as a multi-modal shipping container. At the corners of the module 70 for example at points 13, 15, 16, and 18 of the Framework Structures 10 in a module 70, castings (not shown) are installed to facilitate the functionality as a shipping container. The castings may be used at the assembly point for alignment of the vertically stacked frames 10.

At a destination, which may be an intermediate destination between the manufacturing location and an eventual site for construction of an industrial scale facility, several Support Framework Structures 10 are assembled with transverse beam elements 25 and other components or parts, to form a sub-assembly 30. The sub-assembly may be comprised of a number of Support Framework Structures 10 stacked with vertical post members and transverse beams to form a tall sub-assembly 30, 50 or may be assembled to form a relatively short single-layer sub-assembly 40 such as a railcar loading and unloading module with conduits, pipes, valves and gantry, pump, meter and other associated features or equipment. The sub-assembly 50 will typically house industrial equipment or process machinery 55 and associated connecting conduits, cables, pipes, valves and the like 60, and may include cable-trays 65 and similar scaffolding and supports. A post 16, 17, 18 may be connected to a beam 12 with a moment connection 19 to avoid the need for corner bracing elements (not shown).

Other embodiments and uses of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention as disclosed herein. The specification and examples should be considered as exemplary and not themselves limiting. The scope of the invention is limited only by the claims.

TABLE ASSOCIATED WITH DRAWINGS Parts Identified

-   10 Post-and-beam support framework structure. -   11 Post portion of framework structure. -   12 Beam portion of framework structure. -   13 Top of End-Post. -   14 Top of Intermediate Post. -   15 Top of Opposite End-Post. -   16 Bottom of End-Post. -   17 Bottom of Intermediate Post. -   18 Bottom of Opposite End-Post. -   19 Moment connection between port and beam(s). -   25 Transverse beams. -   30 Another example of Sub-assembly of Support Framework Structures     with transverse components and other parts, assembled to form an     intermediate stage of construction of a large-scale industrial     facility. -   40 Another example of Sub-assembly of Support Framework Structures     with transverse components and other parts, assembled to form an     intermediate stage of construction of a large-scale industrial     facility. -   50 Another example of Sub-assembly of Support Framework Structures     with transverse components and other parts, assembled to form an     intermediate stage of construction of a large-scale industrial     facility. -   55 Industrial equipment installed in the sub-assembly which is part     of the industrial facility. -   60 Conduit and other features associated with the industrial     equipment of the facility. -   65 Cable-tray sub-assemblies mounted to the sub-assembly of support     framework structures for further assembly into the industrial     facility. -   70 A module functional as a standardized multi-modal shipping     container, assembled from Support Framework Structures 10 with other     structural parts 75. 

1. A set of post-and-beam support framework structures for eventual assembly to form a civil engineering scale facility for large-scale industrial equipment and associated features, the features comprising at least one of: conduits, pipe-ways and cable-trays, catwalks and man-ways—the set of framework structures made sized to be fitted and fastened together to form a module functional as a standardized multi-modal shipping container, to permit the module to be treated during transport and inventory as a standard shipping container.
 2. A module comprised of a set of post-and-beam support framework structures fitted and fastened together as a standardized multi-modal shipping container, the module to be assembled from the set of framework structures at or near the place of manufacture of the set of framework structures, the module functional as a standardized multi-modal shipping container, and adapted to be taken apart to reassemble the set of framework structures to form larger components of a civil-engineering scale facility for large-scale industrial equipment and associated features at or near an eventual destination.
 3. The set of claim 1 protected by at least one of: the module may be skinned, or the framework structures may be coated, painted, covered or otherwise isolated from the ambient environment.
 4. The set of claim 2 protected by at least one of: the module may be skinned, or the framework structures may be coated, painted, covered or otherwise isolated from the ambient environment.
 5. The set of claim 1 where at least one post-and-beam support framework structure is capable of bearing a 10 metric ton load on each post.
 6. The set of claim 2 where at least one post-and-beam support framework structure is capable of bearing a 10 metric ton load on each post.
 7. The set of claim 1 where an assembly of at least two of the support framework structures are attached to each other by one or more beams, the one or more beams having been fitted and fastened to form the standardized module, each beam spanning up to about 7 meters, and each beam capable of carrying a load of up to about 20 metric tons.
 8. The set of claim 2 where an assembly of at least two of the support framework structures are attached to each other by one or more beams, the one or more beams having been fitted and fastened to form the standardized module, each beam spanning up to about 7 meters, and each beam capable of carrying a load of up to about 20 metric tons.
 9. The set of claim 1 where the facility for large-scale industrial equipment and associated features is one of: a crude oil transshipment railyard, a SAGD steam generation and production facility, a heavy oil upgrader, a refinery, a chemical processing or food processing plant, a petro-chemical facility, and mining and mineral processing facilities.
 10. The set of claim claim 2 where the facility for large-scale industrial equipment and associated features is one of: a crude oil transshipment railyard, a SAGD steam generation and production facility, a heavy oil upgrader, a refinery, a chemical processing or food processing plant, a petro-chemical facility, and mining and mineral processing facilities.
 11. The set of claim 1 where the framework structures are assembled at the eventual destination to facilitate one of: gas compressor, steam generator, pumps, air compressors, separation or process vessels, heat exchangers, absorption towers, dessicant beds, controlled chemical reactors, water treatment equipment, and associated features.
 12. The set of claim 2 where the framework structures are assembled at the eventual destination to facilitate one of: gas compressor, steam generator, pumps, air compressors, separation or process vessels, heat exchangers, absorption towers, dessicant beds, controlled chemical reactors, water treatment equipment, and associated features.
 13. A method of shipping a set of post-and-beam support framework structures from at or near their place of manufacture to an eventual destination as a module which functions as a standardized multi-modal shipping container by: a. Designing the framework structures to be manufactured and then fitted and fastened together into a module within the boundaries of a spatial envelope, and with strength and load-bearing points to function as a type of standardized multi-modal shipping container b. Fitting and fastening the structures together in a module which conforms to the characteristics of a standardized multi-modal shipping container, including at least: i. Corner castings at each of the module's corners suitable for multi-modal transport means; ii. Outside dimensions to match those permissible for multi-modal transport containers; c. Shipping the module as a multi-modal shipping container to the eventual destination; and d. Disassembling the module into the set of post-and-beam support structures for use in construction of a civil engineering scale facility for large-scale industrial equipment and associated features.
 14. The method of claim 13 further comprising an intermediate assembly location at which the module is disassembled into the set of post-and-beam support structures and assembled to form a larger sub-component of the eventual facility and associated features, which larger sub-component is subsequently shipped to the eventual destination where the facility with associated features may then be constructed using the larger sub-component and other parts and components.
 15. The method of claim 14 where the module may also comprise other structural components or materials. 